Genetic tests lead
to the discovery on Borneo and Sumatra

by Beth Rowen

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Imagine spending your
entire life being confused with an entirely different species. That’s
what happened to the clouded leopard of Borneo and Sumatra. The animal, the biggest predator on Borneo, was long assumed to be the
same species as the clouded leopard native to mainland Southeast Asia. Talk
about an identity crisis!

Forty Differences Between Species

In March 2007, scientists at the U.S. National Cancer Institute announced
that genetic testing had determined that there are about 40 differences
between the two species. For example, the clouded leopard of Borneo and
Sumatra has darker fur and smaller cloud markings than the mainland leopard.
The spots inside the “clouds” on the island clouded leopard are
more distinct than those on the mainland animal. The differences between the
cousins are as marked as those between lions, tigers, and jaguars.

“Who said a leopard can never change its spots? For over a hundred
years we have been looking at this animal and never realized it was
unique,” said Carter S. Roberts, president and CEO of the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Where in the world is Borneo?

According
to the WWF, between 5,000 and 11,000 clouded leopards live on Borneo and
another 3,000 to 7,000 inhabit Sumatra. Borneo is the third-largest island
in the world. About two-thirds of Borneo is part of Indonesia; the rest is
shared by Malaysia and Brunei. Sumatra is an Indonesian island.

Most
scientists agree that there are about 1 million species of animals on Earth.
An estimated 10,000 species of animals are discovered each year. In fact, in
2006 alone 30 unique species of fish, two species of tree frogs, three
species of trees, and 16 ginger species were discovered in the Heart of
Borneo, a rainforest that’s about as big as Kansas.